The last words spoken by the dying are rarely long, eloquent speeches; instead, they are brief, practical, and packed with emotion. With limited physical strength remaining, those on the threshold of death instinctively prioritize what matters most—leaving behind final echoes of love, gratitude, and quiet but important instructions for the family staying behind.

St John, a firsthand witness to the Crucifixion, illustrates this beautifully in his Gospel. He hears Jesus’ final words from the Cross — words that are both intimate and universal. Jesus sees His mother and the disciple whom He loved. To Mary, He says: “Woman, here is your son.” To the disciple: “Here is your mother.” (Jn 19:26–27). In this moment, Jesus entrusts His family to one another, weaving together bonds of love that extend beyond bloodlines.

He gives us His mother

Saint Augustine and other Church Fathers recognized that the “beloved disciple” is more than a historical figure. He is a symbol, a stand-in for every follower of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI explained that John’s Gospel deliberately leaves the disciple unnamed so that each believer may see himself in that role — loved by Jesus, called to stand at the foot of the Cross, and invited into this new spiritual family.

In these two words from the Cross, Jesus is articulating the spiritual relationships that define the Church. If the beloved disciple shares in Jesus’ own life as the Son, then by implication he also receives Mary as his spiritual mother. In giving His mother to the disciple, Jesus gives her to us all.

Just as the disciple “took her into his own home,” so too are we invited to welcome Mary into our lives.

This gift is not merely symbolic; it is deeply practical. Just as the disciple “took her into his own home,” so too are we invited to welcome Mary into our lives — to let her maternal care shape our discipleship. In her, we find comfort, guidance, and a model of faithful surrender. At the Cross, Jesus not only completed His mission with the words “It is finished” (Jn 19:30), but He also ensured that His followers would never be alone. He gave us His Spirit, His Church, and His Mother.

Devotion to Our Spiritual Mother

Throughout the centuries, Mary has shown her maternal love for Jesus’ disciples, and they, in turn, have found many expressions of living out this filial piety.

In Scripture, Saint Luke indicates Mary’s comforting maternal presence among the fearful apostles gathered before Pentecost. From the early Church to modern times, a rich history of apparitions, answered prayers, and miracles bears witness to her ongoing intercession.

To reciprocate, aside from the numerous prayers composed in her honor, many saints have gone to extraordinary lengths to manifest their love for our Mother. One offered all her intense physical pain for Our Lady’s intentions while wearing a heavy silver crown of thorns hidden under a wreath of roses (St Rose of Lima). Another dropped to his knees on bare dirt or muddy roads each time the church bells rang for the Angelus (St Charles Borromeo). One was even said to have swallowed a small picture of Our Lady Help of Christians when he was a boy, to seal his lifelong promise of purity to her (St John Bosco).

We may tend to think that we have to do extraordinary things to love our Lady. One saint, St Josemaría Escrivá, taught a path for living our relationship with Mary in ordinary life.

St Josemaría’s Practical Tips

One year after the death of St Josemaría in 1975, Blessed Álvaro del Portillo met with Pope St Paul VI. Blessed Álvaro, for the first time as head of Opus Dei, listened to the Pope describe St Josemaría as “one of the people who had received the most charisms in the Church’s history and had responded with the greatest generosity to God’s gifts.” Fast forward to 2002. Officiating at St Josemaría’s canonization, Pope St John Paul II called him the “Saint of the Ordinary.”

The way St. Josemaria lived devotion to Our Lady can easily be emulated by ordinary people.

Certainly, St Josemaría’s devotion to Our Lady was one of these magnificent gifts from God—and the way he lived this devotion can easily be emulated by ordinary people. In his published writings, St Josemaría stressed that Mary was the cause of our joy and our hope at all times, especially in difficulties. She is, among other things, our teacher in the school of prayer and virtue, helping us to live in true fraternity with one another. As he famously noted, if we seek her, we will “necessarily” find Jesus.

St. Josemaría preached what he lived and lived what he preached. For him, recourse to Mary was a constant reality. He encouraged everyone to seek a personal experience of her maternal love and to express their affection for her in the ordinary moments of life.

He began each day invoking the help of Our Lady in his morning offering, and before going to bed, he faithfully recited three Hail Marys. Moving from one task to another, he constantly repeated aspirations in his heart: short titles like “Mother of Fair Love,” culled from Scripture, traditional Marian prayers, or composed by himself. He also prayed the Angelus or Regina Caeli at noon and reserved a specific time each day for the Rosary and the contemplation of its mysteries.

He would affectionately greet Our Lady whenever he saw her image in the streets or upon entering and leaving a room. He kept a picture of the Blessed Virgin in his wallet and wore the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He gave particular attention to these details of love on Saturdays—the day the Church traditionally dedicates to Mary. Throughout the month of May, he made pilgrimages to various Marian shrines around the world to maintain this continuous dialogue of a son with his mother.

St John tells us that the disciple “took Our Lady into his own home” as soon as he heard the Lord’s command. He received her completely as his mother. All the beloved disciples whom John represented should undoubtedly do the same.

Opus Dei is an institution of the Catholic Church whose mission is to spread in all sectors of society the message that work, family life, and the ordinary events of each day are opportunities for drawing close to Christ, and making Him known to others.